Summer Applique

I've been taking my summers pretty slow, as you might have noticed... and you too? If you've been following me for a while, then you know that summer means it's time to pull out my Chuck Nohara blocks. Since this has been such a long, and on going project, you might think they've landed on the long forgotten WIP pile, never to be pulled out again... quite the contrary!

My aunt always reminds me that making quilts is not about seeing how many quilts you can finish in a year, but about enjoying the process. When I'm on an everyday schedule, it seems that I don't find the time to work on highly intensive applique blocks.

Usually when I take an applique project somewhere to work on it, I don't have my sewing machine with me. And just the opposite, when I am using my sewing machine, I usually am not thinking about applique. I've actually had several shapes from this block finished, but just needed to add the simple stitching

 

... and since I am keeping things slow this summer, I am also keeping things short, so I'll see you on Sunday for the #summerstacksundays with the theme "soft summer".

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Taking Time

Applique takes time, and sometimes the pressure of the social media world of "I must post daily inspiration", never takes into consideration that slow stitching is supposed to be just that... slow. 

 Block 463

When you see me pull my Chuck Nohara blocks out, then you know that it is vacation time, or I am at least at a point I am slowing down. Since I was away from my sewing machine for the whole summer, I had to at least have a little something around for my itching fingers.

 Block 620

The last time I posted any real progress on my Summer Garden project was last year... and let me just say that this is not a project that I plan to finish any time soon. My aunt, who is a seasoned quilter, is always reminding me that it's not about turning out one quilt after the other, as quickly as possible, but about enjoying the process... a good reminder for all of us, don't you think?

 Block 696

But I am actually ok with my snails pace progress... and have no apologies for taking it slow. Even a garden never grows overnight, and those stop and smell the roses moments make it worth it.

 Block 602

Somehow, every time I think about my Summer Garden project, the nursery rhyme from Mother Goose always comes to mind...

Mary, Mary, quite contrary
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockleshells
And pretty maids all in a row.

Wanna slow stitch with me and are in the Hamburg area? Then be sure to check out my previous post because I will be teaching a starch applique class.

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